


Glass Half Empty

by Anonymous



Category: Mortal Kombat (Video Games), Mortal Kombat - All Media Types, Mortal Kombat 11 - Fandom
Genre: All The Other Characters Briefly Mentioned, At least in Erron's mind, Coping, Erron Misses Jin, Just Not A Lot In This Story, Lao Can't Catch A Break, M/M, Mild Erronjin, Neither Can Kotal Kahn Apparently, Romance, Shock
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-25
Updated: 2020-02-25
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:54:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,433
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22901296
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Between witnessing Kotal Kahn's life-changing injury at the hands of Shao Kahn at the Koliseum and rallying the Shaolin monks to fight against Kronika's forces, Kung Lao manages to find time to gather himself, albeit with the "help" of a certain gunslinger ...
Relationships: Erron Black/Kung Jin, Erron Black/Kung Lao, Jade/Kotal Kahn (Mortal Kombat)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 28
Collections: Anonymous





	Glass Half Empty

**Author's Note:**

> I rewatched Kitana's MK11 chapter and was inspired to write this. Plus I had some more ErronLao feels to get out. Consider this a standalone fic, or if you want, a sequel to "Just Like Junior." Enjoy! Xx

“Is he going to be alright?”

Erron Black lifted his head as the question echoed around the palace’s banquet hall. The fatigue that clouded his hazel-blue eyes cleared up somewhat as they settled upon the slender figure standing in the doorframe. They glimmered in appreciation at the razor-rimmed headgear, and even more so as they settled on the lean face beneath. Raking over the arched brows, the snub nose and sharp lips, Erron sat up straight in his chair with a sigh. He pressed his drinking glass against his collarbones, the chill doing little to cool the rising heat.

“You talkin’ about the Kahn?” Erron asked in reply.

For a moment, it looked to Erron like the Earthrealm monk named Kung Lao was about to make a snappy remark. Instead, he stared at the cowboy silently for a few seconds before sighing himself.

“Yes, the Kahn,” he said, his shoulders drooping. “How is he coping after … what occurred earlier?”

The gunslinger took a long sip, savouring the much-needed sweetness on his tongue, before he answered.

“Copin’ as much as he can for someone who just got crippled for life.”

Lao winced. Erron could hardly blame him. No more than an hour ago, Kotal Kahn had nearly lost his life at the hands of Shao Kahn. Miraculously, the Osh-Tekk had survived, albeit with a broken spine to show for it. It had taken Erron, Jade, Lao and Liu Kang some time to carry the dead weight of the Kahn (well, _former_ Kahn) to the palace’s healing chambers. There, Erron and Jade – the former ever dutiful, the latter ever compassionate – remained as the healer fussed over his employer, who despite his sudden disability maintained a regal manner throughout.

Only ten minutes ago, Jade dismissed Erron from the chambers, the Edenian wanting to be alone with her lover before Kitana, the _new_ Kahn, could determine the next course of action against Kronika’s forces.

Erron could understand how she was feeling. In and among the shit that life had flung at him these past couple of days, he would have liked nothing more than to spend some time in the company, and not least the bed, of a certain feisty Earthrealmer.

 _Too bad I don’t know where the hell Junior is right now_ , he ruefully thought. _I wouldn’t let him leave the sack ‘til his uncle came callin’ for him._

Speaking of which, Lao entered the hall, his steps slow but purposeful as he neared the dining table where Erron sat. When he reached the empty chair next to him, the monk tilted his head. The hat remained steady.

“May I sit?” he softly asked.

Erron looked up at him, the rim of his hat concealing his raised brows.

“Sure, I guess,” he replied. “You don’t need my permission.”

“Just for a few minutes,” the other man hurriedly added as he sat down, as if he hadn’t heard Erron’s words. His eyes momentarily dropped to his lap. “Liu Kang and I will be departing for Earthrealm shortly. I wanted a moment or two to myself before we go.”

Huh, conversation. This was something Erron was not expecting to partake in, not least when he was still recuperating from the terrors of their battle against Shao Kahn’s forces.

 _Especially_ not least with the person who made it abundantly clear that he’d have the gunslinger’s ass on a platter if he did anything to hurt his precious nephew. Oh times, they do change.

Bringing his glass to his lips, Erron murmured, “Where’s Liu Kang now?”

“No doubt with Kitana. It will likely be some time before he sees her again.”

Erron’s gulp was audible as he swallowed. His eyes scanned the downcast face, once again taking in the features that seemed so familiar to him, yet so different at the same time.

“You and Jade,” he said.

Lao’s eyes drew level with his. The brown spheres darkened in confusion.

“What?”

“You and Jade,” Erron repeated, his voice slow and steady. “You both got a first-hand close-up of Shao Kahn breakin’ Kotal Kahn like he was a twig.”

Those sharp lips creased down at the edges.

“Crude though you sound, we did,” was the response, the voice slightly thick. “There was a lapse in the battle. That’s when we saw Shao Kahn hoisting the emperor onto his shoulders and … and …”

His voice trailed away into silence, a silence that filled the hall for a solid ten seconds.

A silence that spoke volumes about the monk to Erron in this moment.

 _Junior once told me how you died_ , he thought in realization. _That could’ve been you today instead of the Kahn._

The images that filtered into his mind were grim, to say the least. They were enough to make Erron take another sip.

They were also enough to practically shove his glass under Lao’s nose. Surprised, the monk shrunk back, staring at the glass with narrowed eyes before they looked up to meet Erron’s.

“Drink,” commanded the gunslinger.

“What are you doing, Black?”

“You ain’t deaf,” Erron answered, rolling his eyes. “Take a swig of this. You’d do well to get some in your system.”

The snub nose wrinkled, making the cowboy sigh.

“It’s not alcohol, if that’s what’s worryin’ you. It’s sugar water.”

“ _Sugar_ water?”

Erron nodded. He shook the glass, the white crystals at the bottom swirling around in the clear liquid like a snow globe. “Does wonders for calmin’ the nerves. I reckoned I needed some after bein’ in the healin’ chambers and all. Y’catch my drift?”

Lao stared at him for a few seconds longer before his gaze returned to the glass. However, something that looked a lot like understanding filled his eyes. With a slightly unsteady hand, he took the glass from Erron’s hand and pushed his mouth against the rim, swallowing a large enough mouthful that left the glass virtually empty. Lowering it, Lao gave a small hum.

“Very sweet,” he remarked, lightly smacking his lips.

Erron nodded again. “That’s kinda the point. If there’s one thing that I can remember learnin’ from my daddy, it’s that sugar water’s good for makin’ a shitty situation sweeter.”

“At least I know from whom you learned how to speak so crudely,” Lao snarked, returning the glass. He then groaned. “I did not mean to finish it. My apologies.”

The other man surveyed his glass with another sigh. “I guess you needed it more than _I_ did.”

“Perhaps I did. Thank you.”

“But I’m still thirsty,” Erron declared, drawling. His blue eyes flickered to the monk’s lips, which were wet around the severe edges.

Lao shrunk back again, disconcerted by the staring. “Maybe you are, but please can you stop with your sta – _MPH!_ ”

For all their sharpness, Lao’s lips were soft and supple as Erron leaned in to press his own against them. With a small tilt so that he could avoid the monk’s precarious hat rim, he pressed harder, tasting the last droplets of sugar water on his tongue. He would have ventured in deeper if Lao did not suddenly pull away, surprise and anger etched into his reddening facial features.

“You kissed me,” he gasped.

Erron blinked. “I know.”

Lao glared. “How _dare_ you –”

“Preferable to speakin’ crude, don’t you think?” the cowboy interrupted, his own hat rim hiding the tops of his eyes. “And I’ll be honest, I wouldn’t mind kissin’ you again.”

Lao was silent.

Erron gently tapped a finger against those lips.

“And if it helps,” he whispered, “we don’t have to tell Junior.”

Still, Lao was silent. However, the slow upward tilt of his chin, and the way he stared out from under his lashes, was more than enough for Erron to lean in again. Heat radiated from the gunslinger’s skin as his mouth was a mere inch away from the monk’s …

“ _Kung Lao!_ Where are you? We need to return to Earthrealm at once!”

No sooner did the other Shaolin monk’s voice ring out when the sound of a chair being pushed backwards rang loudly in Erron Black’s ears. Pausing with a grunt, his eyes widened when he found the seat next to his empty. Looking up towards the hall entrance, he saw only the back of a boot before it disappeared.

Slumping in his chair, Erron set his glass on the table with what looked like a pout.

So close. So _very_ close.

 _He’s not Jin_ , he reminded himself. _He’s not gonna be easy. But I’m up for the challenge._

And if anything, at least Erron could say that he enjoyed the first taste of what was to come.

**Author's Note:**

> Should Erron stick with Jin or try his luck with Lao? Let me know in the comments below! C:


End file.
